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女孩兒/女孩儿、一場電影/一场电影、矮、不但…而且…、需要、主動/主动、善良、男孩兒/男孩儿、福氣/福气、真誠/真诚、責任感/责任感、幽默感、永遠/永远、傻笑、中等個兒/中等个儿、不僅僅/不仅仅、替、尷尬/尴尬、滋味兒/滋味儿、笨、拍電影/拍电影、一部電影/一部电影、對…有意思/对…有意思、幫忙/帮忙、並不/并不、並沒/并没、如果
女孩兒/女孩儿 [nǚháir] N. girl. 男孩兒還是女孩兒/男孩儿还是女孩？Is it a boy or a girl?
nǚ: woman; female; daughter; girl
radical: 女
hái: child
radical: 子 (zǐ: son; person)
er: a retroflex suffix
radical: 兒
Note that “兒” is an important retroflex suffix in Mandarin Chinese. In Mandarin Chinese, “érhuà” (the addition of the retroflex suffix “-r”) can add a sense of intimacy or diminutiveness to nouns. However, this usage is limited to certain specific words. For example, “画儿” (huàr) conveys a more casual or affectionate tone than “画” (huà), and “玩儿” (wánr) sounds more colloquial than “玩” (wán). In addition, “érhuà” can also change the meaning of certain words. For example: “哪” (nǎ; which) becomes “哪儿” (nǎr; where), and “那” (nà; that) becomes “那儿” (nàr; there).
Simplified character:
一場電影/一场电影 [yìchǎng diànyǐng] NP. a movie. 我們去看一場電影吧/我们去看一场电影吧。Let’s go watch a movie.
yī: one
radical: one
chǎng: a measure word used for cultural, entertainment, and sports activities.
radical: 土 (tǔ: soil; earth)
diàn: electricity
radical: 雨 (yǔ: rain)
yǐng: shadow; reflection; image; photograph; picture; motion picture; film; movie
radical: 彡
Simplified character:
矮 [ǎi] Adj. short (height). 我的男朋友不高不矮。My boyfriend is neither tall nor short.
ǎi: short
radical: 矢 (shǐ: arrow)
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
不但…而且… [búdàn…érqiě] Not only…,but also…. 我家不但有廁所，而且還有電影院。/ 我家不但有厕所，而且还有电影院。My house not only has a bathroom, but also a movie theater.
bù: no; not
radical: 不
dàn: only; just; merely
radical: 亻(person)
ér: a conjunction used to connect components that are semantically continuous or contrasting, or to link components that are causally related in meaning.
radical: 而
qiě: just; for the time being; both … and …
radical: 丨/ 一
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
需要 [xūyào] V. to need. 我現在需要你的幫助/我现在需要你的帮助。I need your help right now.
xū: need; want; require
radical: 雨 (yǔ: rain)
yào: want; ask for; wish; desire
radical: 覀
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
主動/主动 [zhǔdòng] Adj./Adv. active; to offer to do. 第一次約會，你應該主動一點兒。/第一次约会，你应该主动一点。On the first date, you should take the initiative a bit.
zhǔ: subjective; main; principal; primary; lead; manage; take charge of
radical: 亠/王/丶
dòng: move; stir; act; get moving; movement; action
radical: 力
Simplified character:
善良 [shànliáng] Adj. kind-hearted. 她是一個善良的女孩兒/她是一个善良的女孩儿。She is a kind girl.
shàn: good; satisfactory; kind ; friendly
radical: 口/羊
liáng: good; fine; nice
radical: 丶/艮
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
男孩兒/男孩儿 [nánháir] N. boy. 我老婆生了個男孩兒/我老婆生了个男孩儿。My wife gave birth to a boy.
nán: man; male; son; boy
radical: 田 (tián: field; farmland; cropland; land)
hái: child
radical: 子 (zǐ: son; person)
er: a retroflex suffix
radical: 兒
Note that “兒” is an important retroflex suffix in Mandarin Chinese. In Mandarin Chinese, “érhuà” (the addition of the retroflex suffix “-r”) can add a sense of intimacy or diminutiveness to nouns. However, this usage is limited to certain specific words. For example, “画儿” (huàr) conveys a more casual or affectionate tone than “画” (huà), and “玩儿” (wánr) sounds more colloquial than “玩” (wán). In addition, “érhuà” can also change the meaning of certain words. For example: “哪” (nǎ; which) becomes “哪儿” (nǎr; where), and “那” (nà; that) becomes “那儿” (nàr; there).
Simplified character:
福氣/福气 [fúqì] N. a state of being lucky. 你老婆對這麼好，你真有福氣。/ 你老婆对你这么好，你真有福气。Your wife is so good to you, you’re really lucky.
fú: blessing; happiness; good luck; good fortune
radical: 礻
qì: spirit; morale; airs; manner; style; gas; air
radical: 气
Simplified character:
真誠/真诚 [zhēnchéng] Adj. sincere. 我們都真誠一點兒/我们都真诚一点儿。Let’s all be a little more sincere.
zhēn: true; genuine; real
radical: 十
chéng: sincere; honest
radical: 言/讠(language)
Simplified character:
責任感/责任感 [zérèngǎn] N. sense of responsibility. 你的男朋友有沒有責任感/你的男朋友有没有责任感？Does your boyfriend have a sense of responsibility?
zé: duty; responsibility
radical: 貝/贝 (bèi: cowry used as money in ancient times)
rèn: duties
radical: 亻(person)
gǎn: sense; feeling; emotion
radical: 心 (xīn: heart)
Simplified character:
幽默感 [yōumògǎn] N. sense of humor. 他很有幽默感。He has a great sense of humor.
yōu: deep and remote; secluded; dim; secret; hidden; quiet; tranquil; serene.
Note that the Chinese term “幽默” (yōumò) originates from the translation of the English word humor.
radical: 幺
mò: silent; tacit
radical: 黑
gǎn: sense; feeling; emotion
radical: 心 (xīn: heart)
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
永遠/永远 [yǒngyuǎn] Adv. forever. 我永遠愛你/我永远爱你。I will love you forever.
yǒng: perpetually; forever; always
radical: 丶/ 水
yuǎn: far; distant; remote; with great difference
radical: 辶 (to walk hesitantly)
Simplified character:
傻笑 [shǎxiào] VP to laugh in a silly way. 你在那兒傻笑什麼呢/你在那儿傻笑什么呢？What are you laughing at over there?
shǎ: stupid; muddleheaded; silly; think or act mechanically
radical: 亻(person)
xiào: smile; laugh
radical: 竹 (bamboo)
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
中等個兒/中等个儿 [zhōngděng gèr] N. of the average height. 他中等個兒/他中等个儿。He is of medium height.
zhōng: middle; mid
radical: 丨
děng: class; grade; rank; kind; sort; type
radical: 竹 (bamboo)
gè: height; stature; build
radical: 亻(person)
er: a retroflex suffix
radical: 兒
Note that “兒” is an important retroflex suffix in Mandarin Chinese. In Mandarin Chinese, “érhuà” (the addition of the retroflex suffix “-r”) can add a sense of intimacy or diminutiveness to nouns. However, this usage is limited to certain specific words. For example, “画儿” (huàr) conveys a more casual or affectionate tone than “画” (huà), and “玩儿” (wánr) sounds more colloquial than “玩” (wán). In addition, “érhuà” can also change the meaning of certain words. For example: “哪” (nǎ; which) becomes “哪儿” (nǎr; where), and “那” (nà; that) becomes “那儿” (nàr; there).
Simplified character:
不僅僅/不仅仅 [bù jǐnjǐn] Adv. not only (formal). 我學中文不僅僅是為了拿學分/我学中文不仅仅是为了拿学分。I study Chinese not just for the credits.
bù: no; not
radical: 不
jǐn: only; merely; barely
radical: 亻(person)
Simplified character:
替 [tì] V. take the place of. 你休息吧，我替你做。Take a rest, I’ll do it for you.
tì: replace; substitute for; supply [take] the place of; for; on behalf of
radical: 日
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
尷尬/尴尬 [gāngà] Adj. awkward; embarrassed. 太尷尬了/太尴尬了！It’s so embarrassing!
gān: awkward; embarrassed
radical: 尢
gà: awkward; embarassing
radical: 尢
Simplified character:
滋味兒/滋味儿 [zīwèir] N. taste (of doing something) (metaphorical). 每天學到3點，你知道那種滋味兒嗎/每天学到3点，你知道那种滋味吗？Do you know what it feels like to study until 3 AM every day?
zī: flavor; taste
radical: 氵(water)
wèi: taste; flavour; smell; odour; savour
radical: 口 (kǒu: mouth)
er: a retroflex suffix
radical: 兒
Note that “兒” is an important retroflex suffix in Mandarin Chinese. In Mandarin Chinese, “érhuà” (the addition of the retroflex suffix “-r”) can add a sense of intimacy or diminutiveness to nouns. However, this usage is limited to certain specific words. For example, “画儿” (huàr) conveys a more casual or affectionate tone than “画” (huà), and “玩儿” (wánr) sounds more colloquial than “玩” (wán). In addition, “érhuà” can also change the meaning of certain words. For example: “哪” (nǎ; which) becomes “哪儿” (nǎr; where), and “那” (nà; that) becomes “那儿” (nàr; there).
Simplified character:
笨 [bèn] Adj. silly. 笨死了！So stupid!
bèn: stupid; dull; foolish; clumsy; awkward
radical: 竹 (bamboo)
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
拍電影/拍电影 [pāi diànyǐng] V-O. to shoot a movie. 李安拍了很多電影/李安拍了很多电影。Ang Lee has directed many films.
pāi: take (a picture); shoot
radical: 扌(hand)
diàn: electricity
radical: 雨 (rain)
yǐng: shadow; reflection; image; photograph; picture; motion picture; film; movie
radical: 彡
Simplified character:
一部電影/一部电影 [yíbù diànyǐng] NP. a movie. 我昨天在家看了一部電影/我昨天在家看了一部电影。I watched a movie at home yesterday.
yī: one
radical: 一
bù: a measure word used for books, films, and the like.
radical: 阝
diàn: electricity
radical: 雨 (rain)
yǐng: shadow; reflection; image; photograph; picture; motion picture; film; movie
radical: 彡
Simplified character:
對…有意思/对…有意思 [duì…yǒuyì.sī] VP to be interested in sb. 我覺得他對我有意思/我觉得他对我有意思。I think he’s interested in me.
duì: a preposition used to introduce the object or thing
radical: 寸
yǒu: to have
radical: 月 (yuè, flesh)
Chinese Studies Classroom: In Western Zhou Bronze Script, the upper right part of the character “有” represents a hand, while the lower left part depicts a piece of meat, resembling the cross-section of meat. It signifies having meat in hand, meaning “having“ food.
yì: meaning; idea; intention
radical: 心 (xīn; heart)
sī: thought; thinking
radical: 心 (xīn; heart)
Simplified character:
幫忙/帮忙 [bāngmáng] V-O to help. 能過來幫個忙嗎/能过来帮个忙吗？Can you come over and help?
bāng: help
radical: 巾
máng: busy
Note: In the word “bāngmáng” (to help), “忙” does not mean “busy.” Here it functions as a noun, meaning a task, matter, or help. So “帮忙” literally means “to help with a matter” or simply “to give help.”
radical: 忄(xīn; heart)
Chinese Studies Classroom: In ancient Chinese thought, the heart was considered the organ of thought, so characters containing “心” or its variant “忄” often relate to mental or emotional activities. For example: 忙 (máng, busy), 忘 (wàng, forget), 想 (xiǎng, think) and so on.
Simplified character:
並不/并不 [bìngbù] Adv. used to emphasize. 我並不喜歡吃肉/我并不喜欢吃肉。I don’t really like eating meat.
bìng: (not) at all (used before a negative for emphasis)
radical: 丷
bù: no; not
radical: 不
Simplified character:
並沒/并没 [bìngméi] Adv. used to emphasize. 我是喜歡吃肉，可是我昨天並沒吃。/ 我是喜欢吃肉，可是我昨天并没吃。I do like eating meat, but I didn’t eat any yesterday.
bìng: (not) at all (used before a negative for emphasis)
radical: 丷
méi: not have; there is not; be without; (indicates that a negative action or state has not occurred, carrying the meaning of “not once” or “never.”)
radical: 氵(water)
Simplified character:
如果 [rúguǒ] Conj. if (formal). 如果有時間，你會去哪兒？/ 如果有时间，你会去哪儿？If you have time, where would you go?
rú: In “rúguǒ” (if), “如” means “if” or “suppose”, expressing a hypothetical condition. Thus, “如果” literally means “if it were the case that …”.
radical: 女
guǒ: In “rúguǒ” (if), “果” means “result” or “outcome.” So “如果” literally conveys “if this result/outcome were the case …”, and as a fixed phrase it simply functions as the conjunction “if.”
radical: 木
Both traditional and simplified characters are written as:
